A History of Mumbles

06/09/2026

The Bracelet Bay Tea Room through the years.

05/09/2026

MUMBLES TRAIN Update
A recently discovered photo from the Stuart Bishop collection, has enabled us to reveal previously unseen details in sharp close up.

After 1808, the first Mumbles Railway Station (and Terminus) at Oystermouth included the site of todays Dairy car park. A new railway line, constructed behind a seawall (now our promenade) was opened from Blackpill to Oystermouth in August 1890 and the first line, which run next to the site of the later road was closed.
In 1892, an extension was begun, past the old seawall in the photo, towards Mumbles Head.
A new station was opened 100yds away, eventually named Mumbles Station and the extension to Southend Station was opened in 1893. There were many delays during the constructions and negotiations in the attempt to confirm a route to the Headland.
On 9th May 1898, the Mumbles Pier and the completed railway line, was opened to the public, by Lady Jenkins.
Photo: Stuart Bishop Archive.
More: Oystermouth Station Square Explored
https://sites.google.com/site/ahistoryofmumbles/photo-collections/photos-oystermouth-square-explored

05/09/2026

KEMPS -A look back -
MORE:
https://sites.google.com/site/ahistoryofmumbles/shopping-in-edwardian-mumbles-by-carol-powell-m-a/arthur-edgar-kemp-the-draper

05/09/2026

In 2025 the editors of A HISTORY OF MUMBLES took step back and have donated all their research to the digital archive
STORY OF MUMBLES
Please get in touch with them.or view their collection.

We still intend to ensure that this page and our website are updated and available.

We thank all who contributed to this site over the years and ask that in future, any donations of local photos or memorabilia are sent instead to The Story of Mumbles.

05/09/2026

A LOOK BACK

The chimneys belong to the old café in Bracelet Bay which was later damaged in a storm. This slide was taken before the original Coastguard Hut was constructed in 1895.
MORE:
https://sites.google.com/site/ahistoryofmumbles/mumbles-coastguard-through-the-years

05/09/2026

BRACELET BAY TODAY

The site of the old café in Bracelet Bay (damaged in a storm) is now a fine sheltered seating area, with a view over to the Castellamere Restaurant, now The Lighthouse) and a glimpse of the HM Coastguard Station, at Tutt Head, Mumbles. Photo: November 2018.

05/09/2026

SNAPLE POINT AT LANGLAND BAY

Anyone who has walked from Langland to Caswell will have seen this slab of concrete with a couple of benches on it. It is a nice flat area to sit and enjoy the view from Snaple Point to Langland and Rotherslade. However, the effort of pouring this concrete slab wasn’t just for some benches - it had a purpose during World War II. The exact use isn’t clear, but it was possible a Bofors gun or machine gun was there which have been mounted on the circle in the middle. There is anecdotal evidence that says the Bristol Artillery Unit used .303 Lewis guns at Langland Point and fired parachutes with metal bowls suspended below them into the air to use them as target practice.

This is one of the locations featured in my book - Gower: The Path Less Trodden. See https://www.dansantillo.com/buy/books/pathlesstrodden/

03/09/2026

PAUL LLEWELLYN REMEMBERS an interesting character, Joseph Hunt, who served with the United States Army during the Second World War. According to the 'ships helm' badge on his uniform (see photos) he was assigned to the U.S. Army Ports of Embarkation, which managed the movement of troops and supplies overseas.
He later lived in, Woodville Road during the late 1950 early 60s. Along with Charlie Cottle, he was one of the last two keepers of the Mumbles lighthouse.
I used to call him 'Uncle Jo' and he gave me a load of Salmon fishing gear when I became interested in fishing.
MORE:
https://sites.google.com/site/ahistoryofmumbles/author-collections/articles-by-carol-powell/charlie-cottle-last-mumbles-lighthouse-keeper-by-carol-powell

03/09/2026

PLEASE CAN YOU RECOGNISE ANYONE?

Mumbles Guides cooking at their camp, undated.
Please can you recognise anyone in the photo?

Maureen Blair, with white hair is standing at the back. She lived next door to my Gran in Marytwill Lane, says Penny Hehir.

03/09/2026

Grafton Maggs remembered that the choice of Tuppennies (comics) was mind-boggling — the Wizard, Skipper, Adventure, Rover, Hotspur (A newcomer in 1993), Champion, Triumph, Boy's Own, Bullseye, Modern Bov and those timeless favourites Magnet and Gem and many others. Many adults dismissed these publications as rubbish but the more enlightened (e.g. Teacher Raymond Bradshaw) postulated that it was better to read such as this than nothing at all.